Archive for March, 2009

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Top 16 Software Project Risks in Canada

30 March 2009

Software Project RisksBased on an international comparative research, here are the top 16 software project risks in the Canadian financial services sector.

In the U.S., the top three software project risks are lack of top management commitment to the project, misunderstanding requirements and not managing change properly.

As you can see, most of the software project risks center on poor requirements management.

  1. Misunderstanding the requirements
  2. Failure to manage end user expectations
  3. Unclear/misunderstood scope/objectives
  4. Scope creep
  5. Lack of dedicated, full-time project resources
  6. Lack of frozen requirements
  7. Bad estimation
  8. Not managing change properly
  9. Lack of top management commitment to the project
  10. No planning or inadequate planning
  11. Lack of available skilled personnel
  12. Lack of effective project management skills
  13. Improper definition of roles and responsibilities
  14. Failure to identify all stakeholders
  15. Changing scope/objectives
  16. Poor risk management

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Are you reaching your potential as a leader?

24 March 2009

Leader“Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead. This scarcity makes leadership valuable. If everyone tries to lead all the time, not much happens. It is discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile.

In other words, if everyone could do it, they would, and it wouldn’t be worth much.

It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.

When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.

If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.”

—Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us

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Three-Point Estimates in Microsoft Office Project

22 March 2009

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Three Tricks to Tame the Time Tyrants

19 March 2009

The Power of LessIn his book The Power of Less, Leo Babauta advocated doing less to get more done. By applying three simple tricks from the book, you can tame the biggest time tyrants of our day—multi-tasking and e-mails.

Define your three most important tasks (MITs) each day. Do not do anything else until you have completed your MITs—no e-mails, no phone calls, no Twitter.

Even computers slow down when performing multiple tasks simultaneously. What makes you think that you can do a better job? Work on your MITs, and only your MITs, one task at a time.

Check your e-mails after your morning break and process it to empty. Do it, delete it, delegate it or delay it. For the latter, add it to your to do list so that you can remove it from your inbox. Do the same thing after your afternoon break.

Try it. It works.

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Posted in Business Analysis, Project Management, Software Testing | No Comments »

Are you a dinosaur project manager?

14 March 2009

Certified Dinosaur Project Manager (CDPM)There are 25 statements below. Give yourself the following points for each statement:

0 – Do not agree
1 – Agree or somewhat agree
2 – Do not understand or unsure

Be very honest and rate each statement truthfully. Do not skip a statement. As a project manager, you:

  1. Write a project charter using a word processor
  2. Manually transform scope into requirements
  3. Manage project risks using a spreadsheet
  4. Primarily use dashboards to share weekly status
  5. Use sticky notes (Post-it®) to create a WBS
  6. Share project documentation on network drives
  7. Your team cannot access issue logs anywhere
  8. Perform brainstorming sessions using a whiteboard
  9. Use e-mail then phone to quickly get answers
  10. Do not use three-point estimating all the time
  11. Have not used a wiki for knowledge management
  12. Do not have a LinkedIn or Twitter account
  13. Have not used Skype on a conference call
  14. Have not recorded a conference call
  15. Believe in triple-constraints (scope, time and cost)
  16. Have not heard of the PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition
  17. Think that PRINCE2 is a new music album
  18. Know that CBAP® (“c-bop”) is the latest PRINCE2® dance move
  19. Do not know the latest versions of PMI standards
  20. Have not heard of CAPM®
  21. Have not heard of PMP®
  22. Have not heard of PgMP®
  23. Have not heard of PMI-RMP℠
  24. Have not heard of PMI-SP®
  25. Cannot be away from the office for more than one week

If you scored 20+, you are a Certified Dinosaur Project Manager (CDPM)! If you scored 15-19 points, it will not be long before you earn the CDPM designation. If you scored 10-14 points, you need to upgrade your skills. If you scored lower than 10 points, good for you!

  1. Write a project charter using a word processor—use Mindjet’s MindManager and export the mind map into Microsoft Word
  2. Manually transform scope into requirements—use Mindjet’s MindManager, Compuware’s Optimal Trace or IBM Telelogic DOORS and then export the contents into Microsoft Word
  3. Manage project risks using a spreadsheet—use Palisade @Risk or some other software
  4. Primarily use dashboards to share weekly status— In Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, there is a feature called “My Site” and the discussion board can be used as a Wall (similar to Facebook). A special thank you to my Filipino friend, former colleague and SharePoint expert Dux. You can use MBWA too (Management by Wandering Around).
  5. Use sticky notes (Post-it®) to create a WBS—use WBS Chart Pro from Critical Tools. Mindjet’s MindManager will work also but I prefer the bidirectional feature of WBS Chart Pro.
  6. Share project documentation on network drives—we use SharePoint but you can use Google Docs too
  7. Your team cannot access issue logs anywhere—we use NetResults Tracker, a web-based collaboration tool
  8. Perform brainstorming sessions using a whiteboard—use Mindjet’s MindManager
  9. Use e-mail then phone to quickly get answers—we use Microsoft Office Communicator but you can also use Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, etc.
  10. Do not use three-point estimating all the time—this is a built-in feature of Microsoft Office Project. Use it to make your estimates more accurate.
  11. Have not used a wiki for knowledge management—Why not?
  12. Do not have a LinkedIn or Twitter account—Why not?
  13. Have not used Skype on a conference call—Why not?
  14. Have not recorded a conference call—I use OnConference (records slides and voice). Other alternatives include WebEx and GoToMeeting with Camtasia.
  15. Believe in triple-constraints (scope, time and cost)—that is like, so, yesterday! Read the new PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition.
  16. Have not heard of the PMBOK® Guide 4th Edition—Where have you been in the past year or so?
  17. Think that PRINCE2 is a new music album—no it is not!
  18. Know that CBAP® (“c-bop”) is the latest PRINCE2® dance move—no it is not! Now, I know why your project requirements are so screwed up.
  19. Do not know the latest versions of PMI standards—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  20. Have not heard of CAPM®—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  21. Have not heard of PMP®—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  22. Have not heard of PgMP®—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  23. Have not heard of PMI-RMP℠—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  24. Have not heard of PMI-SP®—Go to pmi.org and update your knowledge!
  25. Cannot be away from the office for more than one week—You mean you do not have remote access?

Please click here to share your results.

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